Pennsylvania State Education Association

Week of 5-24-2021

Inside this issue

• PSEA members must have a seat at the table when federal school funds are distributed
• State Senate delays vote on $1 billion voucher bill
• New self-care opportunities for PSEA members
• PSEA’s Center for Professional Learning summer schedule
• PSEA Member Benefits spotlight: Identity theft protection plans

Over the next couple of years, K-12 schools in Pennsylvania will receive nearly $5 billion in federal resources through the American Rescue Plan that must be spent to help students recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

At least $1 billion is earmarked for students who have experienced delayed learning. The rest leaves a lot of room for flexibility. That’s where you come in.

Every dollar that flows to schools through the American Rescue Plan should be spent helping students and solving specific problems that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

And no one is in a better position to give advice about how to do this than PSEA members. After all, we’re the experts.

Tell your school administrators that you have ideas about how to use American Rescue Plan funding. And keep checking www.psea.org/arp for important updates and suggestions on how you can get a seat at the table to ensure those federal dollars are being spent the way they should.

This week, state Senate leaders decided NOT to run a bill that would take more than $1 billion from public schools every year and use it to fund tuition voucher programs and private school initiatives.

In fact, they haven’t even introduced the bill yet.

This may be because PSEA members sent senators more than 3,000 emails in just a few hours last weekend, letting them know that we oppose this reckless and irresponsible proposal.

This is a victory, but the Senate may still take this bill up in June. So, take a moment and let your senator know that he or she should vote “NO” on this proposal.

Since the pandemic began, we’ve made the mental health and well-being of our members a top priority. To that end we created a series of mindfulness sessions meant to help you build resilience and practice self-care. These wellness events, currently offered through our Center for Professional Learning, are constantly expanding and evolving based on member feedback. You can see all these events outlined in the schedule below this block.

We’re particularly excited about our upcoming Wellness Wednesdays sessions, which are based on the “Healthy Mind Platter” concept pictured above. Each session will feature presentations from experts in the different areas of the Healthy Mind Platter. Click the link below to read more about the presenters and to register for an upcoming session.

PSEA’s Center for Professional Learning summer schedule

PSEA’s Center for Professional Learning has a full suite of trainig opportunities to carry you through the summer. Take your pick.

Webinars

• CPL Webinar: Summer 2021 Calendar Launch
• June 22, 5-6 p.m.
• Educator Evaluation in 2021 and Beyond
• June 24, 10-11:30 a.m.
• Supporting English Learners in the Classroom
• June 29, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Culturally Responsive Literature
• July 13, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Fostering a "Growth Mindset" in the Classroom Today
• July 15, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Curriculum Inclusivity in Action
• July 20, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Creating Classroom Equity Plans
• July 22, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Rethinking Grading
• July 27, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Educator Evaluation in 2021 and Beyond
• July 29, 2021, 10-11 a.m.
• Building and Maintaining a Humanized Classroom
• Aug. 3, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Creating a Virtual Classroom (App) with Google Slides
• Aug. 10, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Taking care of the teacher self to prepare mentally for the gaps in student ability/learning next year
• Aug. 17, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Educator Evaluation in 2021 and Beyond
• Aug. 19, 2021, 5-6:30 p.m.

Book Discussions

• Celebrating Identities: Immigration Collection
  • June 23 3:30-5p.m.
• El Deafo
  • June 30, 4-5 p.m.
• Pedagogy Book Study: Implicit Bias in Schools
  • July 13, 11-12 p.m.
• Celebrating Identities: Differently Abled
  • July 21, 3:30-5 p.m.
• Pedagogy Book Study: SEL and the Brain
  • July 22, 10-11 a.m.
• Pedagogy Book Study: Implicit Bias in Schools
  • July 27, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Picture Book Exploration – Elementary
  • July 28, 4-5 p.m.
• Celebrating Identities: "Chutz Pow!" Vol I-III
  • Aug. 4, 3:30-5 p.m.
• Pedagogy Book Discussion: Everyday Anti-Racism Part II
  • Aug. 5, 10-11 a.m.
• Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You - Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
  • Aug. 11, 4-5 p.m.
• Pedagogy Book Study: SEL and the Brain
  • Aug. 12, 10-11 a.m.
• Pedagogy Book Study: Implicit Bias in Schools
  • Aug. 17, 11-12 p.m.
• Author Study: Blue Balliett
  • Aug. 18, 4-5 p.m.
• Pedagogy Book Study: Everyday Anti-Racism Part III
  • Aug. 19, 10-11 a.m.

Wellness Sessions

• Mindfulness for Members 2021-XI – This session includes mindful practices for experiencing calm, joy, gratitude, self-compassion, and resilience.
• June 7, 5-6 p.m.
• Wellness Wednesday – How to keep our body clocks functioning for healthy sleep – Dr. David Dinges
• June 16, 6-7 p.m.
• Wellness Event: Mindful Monday
• June 21, 8-8:45 a.m.
• Wellness Wednesday – The Art and Science of Slowing Down for Educator Longevity – Maria Tan
• June 23, 9-10 a.m.
• Wellness Wednesday – Exercise and stretches for educators – Jose A. Dominguez
• June 30, 9-10 a.m.
• Wellness Event: Mindful Monday
• July 12, 8-8:45 a.m.
• Wellness Wednesday – Focus Time for Brain Health – Dr. Carla Claycomb
• July 14, 9-10 a.m.
• Wellness Wednesday – Speak Unarguably – Jillia Wharton
• July 21, 6-7 p.m.
• Wellness Event: Mindful Monday
• July 26, 8-8:45 a.m.
• Wellness Wednesday – Make Time to Play – Dr. Angel Acosta
• July 28, 9-10 a.m.
• Wellness Wednesday – Common Ground is not Compromise: How to disagree and still live, work, and thrive together – Shamil Idriss
• Aug. 4, 9-10 a.m.
• Wellness Event: Mindful Monday
• Aug. 9, 8-8:45 a.m.
• Wellness Wednesday – Caring Capacity for Equity – Gina Gullo
• Aug. 11, 9-10 a.m.

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